Dear 11-year old Mairin,
I get it. You are stuck in a confusing limbo between childhood and adolescence. Not necessarily a kid, but not yet a teenager. You can walk into town after school, and even stay at home alone. Pretty soon, you will ask Mom to drop you off at the corner just before the movie theater. Though cumbersome and a little frightening, embrace this age. Only a few years remain until parents and teachers start harping on about responsibility. So take it in. Until then, I will share with you 10 things that I wish I knew during this transition from Nickelodeon to shaven legs.
1. Do not feel pressured to "find yourself." This coming-of-age obsession, no more than a gimmick, does not apply to girls your age. Do not expect so much of yourself. Stop trying to "be someone," and only then will you find your true self.
2. When Molly and Megan call you "albino" and tell you it means "pretty" in Spanish, do not believe them. I guess a little Vitamin D never hurt anyone.
3. Embrace your awkwardness. You tower over your peers, and will soon earn the nickname "gangles." But trust me, you will learn to love this height some day. And oh, eat. Keep eating. Eat as much as you can. You barely have any meat on those bones of yours, and this 11-year old metabolism will not last forever.
4. Just in case you did not already know, Santa does not exist.
5. When your siblings have secret "get togethers" with lots and lots of "milk," do not tell Mom and Dad when they get home. You will regret it.
6. Find your passion, and explore life outside the bubble. You will come across many apathetic and ignorant people in your lifetime. Do not let this be you. Celebrate your inner nerd.
7. Forget about popularity. You will lose friends, but in the process, make new ones. And be glad you did.
8. Side bangs do not look good on you.
9. Do not try to rush the road to teenage life. I know that lip smackers and eye glitter seem irresistible, but these last few years of pre-makeup childhood will not last forever. Take advantage of them.
10. My last bit of advice? Remember that you are awesome. Soon enough, middle school will chew you up and spit you out as a different person. The confidence and love you have towards yourself will ultimately determine who this person is.
So there they are, the ten commandments your 11-year old self should know. Good luck. You'll need it.
Sincerely,
You in seven years.
Mairin, I absolutely love the points that you have made to your younger self! My 11 year old self could use some of your advice because like many other little tweens at the time, we all thought side bangs looked fabulous. Looking back at pictures from that year, I cannot help but cringe at the unfortunate hairstyle that every single girl in the picture sports.
ReplyDeleteMairin, you hit the nail on the head with these "commandments." I especially enjoyed number 3. Despite the regret we may feel for some of our past appearance or life choices, I think it's important to remember that everyone around you is experiencing the same thing, so we must embrace it. I wish that I would have had access these enlightened words as I floated aimlessly through "limbo."
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